MARGAO
United Club of Telaulim (UCT) rallied from behind to defeat Panchwadi United Sports Club 2-1 in the GFA First Division League at Rosary Ground, Navelim on Thursday. Both the teams were tied 1-1 at half time.
Panchwadi United broke the deadlock in the very second minute when striker Wayne Rodrigues unleashed a snap shot that left UCT goalkeeper Dalwin Costa dazed. Stung by the setback, Telaulim went into an attacking mode and had couple of scoring chances but failed to convert. Telaulim had a golden to neutralise the lead but striker Neceil Pinto shot wide from close. At the other end, Panchwadi United upped the ante and nearly doubled the lead but Paxton Gomes shot wide.
Telaulim pressed hard and the equaliser came in the 27th minute when striker Savio Fernandes picked up the ball from Kingsley Fernandes and beat the rival goalkeeper Ashis Betodkar with a clincial finish. The leveller boosted the morale of Tealualim lads as they mounted more pressure on the rival goal but their forwards muffed gilt-edged chances.
Telaulim, who created a couple of scoring opportunities in the first half, looked better after the change of ends as they tried to keep possession and control the midfield. Telaulim struck the match winner in the 53rd minute when playmaker Terence Lobo sent a defence-splitting pass inside the rival penalty box and substitute striker Alvito Colaco beat the rival goalkeeper for the goal.
Down 1-2, Panchwadi United intensified their attacks and went all out in search of the equaliser and they nearly found one but striker Wayne Rodrigues failed to nod in off a chip from Agnelo Colaco. Again they had a chance to level the scores but striker Paxton Gomes frittered away with only rival goalkeeper to beat.
After the two scares, Telaulim took control of the game and had a couple of scoring chances but Savio Fernandes, Alvito Colaco and Kingsley Fernandes spurned the easiest of chances. Panchwadi United then had a golden chance to restore the parity in the injury time but Jesmon Soares failed to beat the rival goalkeeper off a cross from Valmiky Miranda.
United Club of of Telaulim moved to 11 points from 9 outings while Panchwadi United have 4 points from the same number of encounter. Meanwhile, the local organisers United Club of Telaulim were caught on the wrong foot as the match commissioner Joaquim Manuel Silva insisted that they made available an ambulance at the venue as per the FIFA norms. However, the match started with the organisers convincing the match commissioner that the ambulalance was on the way.
